A Blast From The Past
by IHeartSKatic
Summary: Maura is a single mom to a sixteen year old girl and when someone from her past comes back to Boston, she has to face her fears and her curious daughter's questions.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This idea came to me in the shower last night so I decided to share it with you guys. I wrote this on my iPhone so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes.

The song in this chapter is Butterfly Fly Away, by Miley Cyrus, but I prentended that my characters wrote the lyrics.

Anyways, happy reading!

Disclamer: I do not own th song nor the amazing characters from Rizzoli and Isles

* * *

Maura Isles sat on the front row of chairs in the big black and white room. She was one of the first to arrive and she was grateful for that, she wanted her little girl to be able to spot her in the middle of the crowd from the stage.

The other parents started to arrive shortly after and went about finding good enough seats. Maura felt even more alone as she watched the excited couples interacting with each other, it had been far too long since she had last experienced such interactions personally. Sure, she had had other partners, but she hadn't felt truly loved and wanted since _her_.

Maura closed her eyes briefly and took a deep, slow breath just like her therapist had taught her all those years ago. Thinking about _her_ right now wouldn't do any good. But Maura couldn't help but find the fact that even after 16 years, that woman still came across her mind infuriating.

The doctor's attention shifted to the stage when a tall blonde girl took her place in front of the microphone. She looked incredibly nervous and Maura remembered her own experience in front of her classmates' parents. The only good thing about that day was that her parents had been too busy to show up. The girl finally cleared her throat and Maura's memory immediately faded away.

"Good evening, ladies and gentleman, and welcome to the Hemmingway High School talent show. I know that this is not a first for most of you, so you kinda know the drill." The crowd chuckled lightly and Maura noticed that the girl began to relax. "But this year, we decided to do something a little bit different. This year, we have a theme: inspiration. The students -myself included- had to choose someone that truly inspires them and dedicate their talents to their inspiration in someway. So make yourself comfortable and enjoy the show." The girl smiled at everyone and walked towards the backstage.

The first student introduced himself as Eric Robertson and his inspiration was the one and only Keanu Reeves. He made a not so perfect representation of the famous scene from Matrix. The crowd cheered politely while the kid's parents screamed "That's my baby!".

Next was Archie Hopper and his puppet show. Maura was absolutely fascinated, she could barely see his mouth moving as the puppet "talked". That truly was a talent.

The rest of the evening went by smoothly and when Maura began so feel impatient, a familiar figure came on to the stage and she smiled brightly.

The tall brunette girl was accompanied by her best friend, Ruby Lucas, who was carrying a beautiful acoustic guitar. The best friend sat on a bar stool in the middle of the stage while the brunette walked towards the microphone.

"Good evening, as many as you know, my name is Katherine Isles. I spent quite some time thinking about people who inspire me, and I know that many people expected me to choose a celebrity like a normal sixteen year old and I was honestly going to choose Grace Kelly, because come one, who doesn't love Grace Kelly? But then I realized that there are so many people in my life that inspire me on a daily basis. There's my grandmother, Constance, who inspires me to be creative and to never give up on my dreams. There's my grandfather, Arthur, who inspires me to question every aspect of life. Then there are my uncles, Korsak and Frost, who inspire me to be strong and to never let my head down. But no one, not even them, inspires me as much as my mother, Doctor Maura Isles. She's the strongest, kindest, smartest, most beautiful woman I have ever met in my whole life and I am so proud and so grateful to be able to share my days, my experiences -the good ones and the bad ones-, my love and my happiness with her." Kate's eyes roamed the room and when they fell upon a pair of hazel ones that could only belong to her mother, she smiled and she had to fight the urge to run to her and hug her when she saw that she was crying. "I wrote this song for you, mom."

Katherine looked back at Ruby and nodded, signaling that it was time to start.

As Ruby played the first notes to the song, Kate closed her eyes and smiled before she started singing in the most beautiful voice.

" _You tuck me in_

 _Turned out the light_

 _Kept me safe and sound at night_

 _Little girls depend on things like that_."

As she sang that last part, she opened her eyes and smiled at her mother, who smiled back widely.

" _Brushed my teeth_

 _And combed my hair_

 _Had to drive me everywhere_

 _You were always there when I look back_."

Maura loved to listen to her daughter's melodic voice. It was sweet and kind at times and deep and fierce at others. In that moment, she was so incredibly proud of her little -not so little anymore- girl. She was growing up so fast and Maura's heart clenched a little at the thought of Katherine going to college in two years. She was going to be all alone -one of her biggest fears- in her house in Beacon Hill and she would miss her daughter every second of every day.

" _You had to do it all alone_

 _Make a living, make a home_

 _Must've been as hard as it could be._ "

The words took a few moments to sink in but when they did, Maura felt fresh tears in her eyes. It had been difficult, being a single mother had always been hard. But she managed, she loved it and she wouldn't have it any other way.

" _And when I couldn't sleep at night_

 _Scared things wouldn't turn out right_

 _You would hold my hand and sing to me_

 _Caterpillar in the tree_

 _How you wonder who you'll be_

 _Can't go far but you_

 _Can always dream._ "

Vince Korsak stood in the back of the room, watching his "niece" on stage -he had been incredibly late and by the time he got there, there were no seats left and Katherine was already singing-. It seemed like it was yesterday that he was sitting on Maura's couch, teaching Katie how to play the guitar and sing. And now there she was, practically a woman, singing beautifully in front of everyone.

Next to him stood a lean figure with unruly brown locks. She recognized the part of the song that the girl was singing and gasped. It couldn't be possible, could it?

"Korsak"She called and waited until the older man looked at her before continuing. "This song...My Ma used to sing it for me and for my brothers when we were kids.. How...I..."

Korsak looked into the brunette and saw nothing but confusion. He wouldn't lie to her, but it wasn't the right time or the right place to tell her. Besides, he wasn't the one that was supposed to tell her.

"We'll talk when she comes to an end, okay Jane?"

She could only nod, not trusting her voice. A million of questions invaded her mind and she suddenly felt dizzy. She concentrated on the girl on the stage and on her voice as she sang the familiar lullaby.

" _Wish you may and wish you might_

 _Don't you worry, hold on tight_

 _I promise you_

 _There will come a day_

 _Butterfly fly away._ "

Maura sang along to the song. She used to sing that song all the time to Kate, it soothed her almost instantly. And even though the doctor knew where she had heard the song for the time, she was glad that her daughter would at least have something sentimental to hold on from her other half.

Jane, in the back, also sang along. Memories of her childhood coming to the surface and she just couldn't help the smile that was forming on her lips.

" _Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away_

 _Got your wings, now you can't stay_

 _Take those dreams_

 _And make them all come true_

 _Butterfly fly away, butterfly fly away_

 _You've been waiting for this day_

 _All along you know just what to do_

 _Butterfly fly away._ "

As the song came to an end, everyone erupted in cheers. They were stunned by her confidence, but her lyrics and specially by her voice. All of them could see the huge potential that Katie possessed and they all were determined to show that to her.

Maura stood abruptly, a big smile adorning her face. God only knew how proud she was at that moment. Kate looked down at her and gave her a little wink. All she wanted when she got on stage was to make her mother happy, and she accomplished just that.

When the cheers came to end, Katherine thanked everybody, as well as Ruby, and both of them walked back to the backstage. The blonde girl from the beginning came back with the most adorable grin and took her place in front of the microphone again.

"Katherine Isles, everyone! That's one hell of a talented girl!" The crowed cheered again and the girl chuckled. "Anyways, our show has come to an end, bummer right? In name of every student that participated tonight as well as the teachers involved, I'd like to thank everyone for coming and for showing your support to our school. You were the best crowd tonight. The kids will be out in a few minutes so you can head home! Drive safely, guys!"

And with that she disappeared behind the curtains.

Jane looked at Korsak, a shocked look on her face. Her heart clenched the moment she heard that last name. That has to be a coincidence right? How many Isles are out there? I bet there's a ton. The brunette thought to herself, unable to construct sentences. She took a series of slow deep breaths and when she looked at him, she already knew the answer to the question she was about to ask.

"She's here, isn't she, Korsak?"

Before Vince had a change to answer her, the blonde doctor came smiling at him and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Vince, I'm so glad you could make it, Kate will be absolutely thrilled. Did you see how beautiful she was up there tonight? She's growing up too fast."

Korsak gulped and returned the smile. He knew that as soon as Maura turned around, she would fall down to pieces, even after all this time. And he wasn't so sure if Jane would be in one piece either.

"She was great, Maur, as always."

She smiled at him brightly, but immediately frowned when a familiar voice came from behind. A voice she was sure she would never hear again, a voice that reminded her of all the pain she went through and that reminded her that she was not ready to face its owner.

"Maura?"

* * *

Should I continue? Let me know ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Oh my god, you guys! 50 reviews and over 100 followers and it's just the first chapter. This is definitely more than what I expected when I started writing this story. Now I'm all nervous, I don't want to disappoint you guys.

You'll find out the whole story in no time, I promise I won't torture you for long.

I am so glad you guys liked my idea, and I'll keep writing for as long as you want. If you have any ideas, please let me know!

Happy reading!

Ps: I do not have a beta, so I'm sorry if there are mistakes!

* * *

Maura couldn't make herself turn around. Part of her, the part that was controlled by her heart -even though it had been terribly broken by that familiar voice- wanted her to face the brunette she knew was behind her. But the other part, controlled by her brain, reminded her of the pain she felt for so long. Her heart had gotten her into trouble before while her brain always managed to save her from bad situations, so needless to say, she chose the latter.

Instead, she turned to Korsak, and he could see a flash of pain in his best friend's eyes. He was by her side every minute of her recovery, he took her to therapy, he helped her numb the pain. And when he found out that the detective that NYPD was sending to assist in the investigation of the murder of a student at his niece's high school was no other than Jane Rizzoli, he knew that no good would come out of it.

"What is she doing here, Vince?" Maura's voice was low, almost as a whisper, and a little shaky. She hated herself for that. She didn't, couldn't, show the effect that the brunette still had on her, she didn't want her to know that even after all these years, part of her heart was still broken.

"She's here to help me in on a case. I found out only a couple of hours ago and by the time I tried to reach you, the show had already started. I'm sorry, Maura."

"Can you two stop talking like I'm not in the room? I'm right over here." Jane looked down at her black boots. She knew that Maura was right to not want to talk to her, or to even pretend she wasn't there. When she found out that she was going back to her hometown for a few days, even weeks, she started to think of ways to contact Maura. And every scenario ended up with the blonde either smacking her in face or walking away.

"You don't get to demand anything, Jane." Maura finally got the courage to turn to the unruly figure and just like she thought, her heart broke a little again. "You don't get to come here after all these years and tell me what to do." The blonde doctor was fighting back tears, there were just too many people around and she didn't want to look weak.

"I didn't come here to fight, or to hurt you, Maura." Jane looked up and her heart clenched a little. The look on Maura's face was the same she shot Paddy Doyle years ago, and it was absolutely terrible to be on the end of it, to have it directed right at her. It was horrible to see those eyes -that were once so full of love and affection- so angry and full of hatred.

"I'm glad. You've done enough damage as it is."

Before Jane could answer, Maura was tackled by a shorter figure and almost fell to the ground. The detective was thankful for the interruption, she knew that that was no place nor time to have that conversation with Maura. She did want to have the conversation, though. But how could she explain her behaviour? How could she explain everything that had been around her head back then? And how could she excuse all the pain she caused?

"Katie! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" Maura tried to look stern but couldn't help her small grin that was forming on her lips. All the pain was replaced with nothing but love and bliss. She was just so proud and happy with her daughter's achievement that she completely forgot that Jane was there for a split second.

"Oops, sorry. Anyways, did you like the song? Did you like the way I put the lullaby you used to sing for me in it? I wasn't quite sure but grandma just told me to go for it and-" Kate finally took notice of the brunette next to her mother and felt ashamed for forgetting her manners. She had seen that her mother was talking to a stranger but she had been too excited to care. The girl turned completely to Jane before saying. "I'm sorry, I clearly interrupted you two. I'm Katherine Isles, by the way." She extended her hand and Jane shook it after a moment.

"Jane Rizzoli." She smiled. The girl looked awfully like her, but she had Maura's green eyes and more delicate bone structure. _You're imagining things, Rizzoli._ She thought to herself. _Remember what Frost told you. She's just your ex best friend/ex girlfriend's kid and nothing more._ "Nice to meet you, Katherine."

"You can call me Kate. Katherine is just too formal. And it's nice to meet you too. Are you friends with my mother?" At that, Maura shot Jane a death glare and her mouth suddenly went dry. Jane cleared her throat and turned her gaze back to the girl in front of her.

"I was, once."

"What happened?"

"Kate, sweetheart, why don't you go give uncle Frost a call? He must be dying to know all the details." Maura did not like where the conversation between her daughter and her ex was headed. She was not ready to tell everything to her daughter nor was she ready to let Jane know. "Oh, and your grandmother wants you to call her as well, as soon as we get home. She is very sorry that her flight got cancelled."

The girl listened to her mother as she scrolled through her contacts until she found Frost's number. Frost was more than just her uncle, he was her father figure. He was the one who taught her how to ride a bike, since Maura refused to do so thinking that Kate would get hurt, he was the one that took her to every Red Sox game when she was little and he was the one who threatened to punch someone to protect her. Even tough she would never admit to her mother, she missed having another parent in the house. A parent that would let her do things that Maura wouldn't, give her the things she wanted when Maura said no, or tell her bedtime stories while her mother tucked her in.

"Yeah, sure. But before we go home, do you think that maybe we could stop at The Robber and grab a burger? I promise I'll put something green on it." Kate looked at her mother with puppy eyes and when Maura smiled she knew she had won. "Thanks, Mom, you're the best." She hugged her tightly and turned to Jane. "You should come too." She said before leaving the three adults to call her uncle.

* * *

An hour later, the four of them found themselves sitting in one of the booths at the Dirty Robber. Jane had decided to accompany them since Korsak was her ride and she didn't feel like paying for a cab. She sat next to her old partner and across the woman she once loved so dearly, the woman she still loved with all of her heart. Kate was talking cheerfully about the cheerleading squad she was apparently a part of, but Jane wasn't listening. She was instead thinking of all the things she missed out on, of the mess she left behind, of the people she had hurt.

Jane's thoughts were shaken away when a petite blonde came over with their orders. She smiled softly as the waitress put a plate of chicken salad in front of Maura and a glass of sparkling water. _So typical,_ Jane thought. For her surprise, a salad was also placed in front of Korsak, but it sure didn't look as good as the one the doctor ordered. Then a cheeseburger was placed in front of her and another in front of the kid.

"Young lady, I thought you promised you would put something green in your burger. All I see is greasy cheese." Maura arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her daughter and waited for an answer.

"I did actually. I put pickles in it." Kate gave her mother a smug grin and Jane couldn't help but laugh. She remembered having a similar discussion with Maura years ago. Yet another thing she had in common with the kid. That couldn't be just a coincidence, but after what Frost had told her it couldn't be true either. "See, Jane gets me." The girl pointed towards Jane who was putting ketchup on top of her cheese and pickles.

"Yeah, I sure she does."

"Oh, my god." Katie said as she looked back at the woman in front of her mother. "I can't believe you do that too!". Jane was putting some fries on top of the cheese and so was Kate. It wasn't something usual to do, so both of them were quite surprised at the sight.

"Yeah, I um..I've been doing this for a while. Most people think it's-"

"Gross." Kate finished the sentence and giggled.

Maura was getting more and more uncomfortable. She knew that there were a lot of habits that the brunettes shared, even though she couldn't explain explain it scientifically. The doctor folded her napkin and put it on the table next to her plate before excusing herself to the bathroom. Jane watched her walk away as Kate went on and on about how weird and cool the whole thing with fries was. After a few minutes, the detective also excused herself and went after Maura.

"What happened between them, uncle Korsak?"

"It's a long story kiddo, you should ask your mother that."

"She's not gonna tell me. She doesn't even tell me who my other mother was...I know you and uncle Frost know, I just don't understand why you don't tell me." She sighed and ate the last bite of her cheeseburger.

"Because it's not our story to tell, Katie." She smiled at her and drank his beer.

 **...**

Maura threw some water on her face. Everything had been so great in her life and now Jane was back and she knew that sooner or later the whole truth would come out. She knew she wasn't ready, and she wondered for a second if she would ever be. She took a few deep breaths and cursed her yoga instructor. At that moment, not even his instructions were working to calm herself down. Jane came waltzing into the bathroom at that moment and saw Maura leaning against the sink. She was incredibly angry, even though she knew she had absolutely no right to be, and Maura wasn't she only target of that anger.

"Is she ours, Maura?" Jane waited a few seconds for an answer but when nothing came she took a couple of steps forward. Maura closed her eyes briefly, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Is Kate our daughter?"

* * *

Same question, should I go on?

I love reviews, by the way ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** : I am so sorry for taking this long, but guess what: I'm on vacation! That means more updates for you.

My muse was kinda asleep during this, so it didn't turn out as great as I wished, but I hope you guys enjoy it.

To those of you who read Teenage Love Affair, I will update it tomorrow!

Happy reading.

PS: All mistakes are mine.

* * *

"I will not have this conversation in The Robber's bathroom, Jane." Maura looked down at her heels and put a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She did not want to have that conversation at all but if she was going to do it, it was going to be in her own terms. It needed to be at a more private place with somewhere to sit that wasn't covered in germs and with lots, lots of wine.

"Damn it, Maura. You can't keep this from me any longer. I know that after everything I've done, I have absolutely no right to demand answers from you, but I think this is something I need to know. I'm really confused over here, Maur."

Maura flinched at her old nickname. Everyone else had stopped calling her that after Jane left because they knew that that nickname meant pretty much everything to the doctor, after all it had been her very first and it had finally made her feel like she belonged, like she fit, like there were people around her that actually cared about her.

Before she could answer though, two friends who were clearly inebriated entered the bathroom, laughing hysterically at something they probably didn't even know. Maura instantly wiped the tears that managed to fall and breathed. She looked up at Jane and sighed. "If you wish to continue this conversation, come by the house tomorrow. Preferably in the morning while Kate's at school."

"You still live at the house? Our house?"

"First of all, that was my house before it was even yours and of course I do, Jane. I don't run from the things I claim to love." With that, Maura smoothed the invisible wrinkles on her skirt and left the bathroom. _Tomorrow is going to be a very long day_ , she thought as she made her way back to the booth. She ignored the questioningly looks both Korsak and Kate gave her, she was not in the mood for being interrogated.

"So, I think we should call it a night, don't you?" Korsak said as he raised his hand in the air to call the waitress. He was feeling a little guilty, though for what he wasn't sure. He had lied to Jane, he had lied to Maura and most importantly, he had lied to the niece he loved most. Vince was tired and all he wanted at that moment was for his two best friends to be okay with each other again.

"I think that's best. We still have to call my mother, right, sweetheart? Maura put a strand of black hair behind Kate's ear and tried to smile. She knew that her girl would be so mad at her once she found out the truth, and maybe that was one of the reasons she was running away from the inevitable. She had seen Kate's rage, though never towards her, and she didn't think she was ready to be at the end of it.

"Where's Jane?" Katherine ignored her mother's question entirely. For some unknown reason, she felt quite the connection to her mother's... friend? Enemy? Frenemy? Well, whatever she was. The whole thing with the french fries and the hamburger made a really good impression on the young girl.

"She needed to go to the bathroom, why do you ask?" Maura reached for her wallet but stopped when Korsak said the dinner was on him. She tried to argue with him but he wouldn't have it.

"I just don't wanna go without saying goodbye, you know? She's nice, I liked her."

"I liked you too, kid." The three of them turned to face Jane, who had a shy smile on her face and was rubbing the back of her neck. Kate smiled a smile that could had lighten up the whole city and Maura couldn't help but smile too, even though it hurt.

"I guess it's goodnight, then." Maura gave Jane a forced smile as she got up from the table. Kate followed her mother just seconds later and hugged Jane gently before heading to the door.

"I had a really nice time tonight, Jane. We should do that again while you're in town."

"We'll see, kid, we'll see." She turned to Maura and rubbed the back of her neck again. "So, I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, I suppose. Have a goodnight, Jane."

Maura kissed Korsak goodnight and Kate did the same. They confirmed their plans for the weekend - Kate had been super excited to go to the shooting range with both her uncles, and maybe now with Jane, for weeks. And Maura, being the over protective mother she was, felt the need to join them as well- and promised to call each other the next day.

Jane stood by Korsak, watching the woman of her dreams and the younger version of herself walking away, holding hands and laughing at something. _How could I let this happen? You are officially an idiot, Jane Rizzoli._ She thought to herself as she accompanied Vince to his car. All the while she thought that maybe not all was lost. Maybe she still had a chance of making amends. Just maybe...

...

"Katherine Amélie Isles, you're going to get late for school if you don't come out of that room right this instant." Maura knocked on Kate's door for what must have been the sixth time. Every morning was the same ordeal. The blonde doctor would knock, Kate would murmur something along the lines of "I'll be right out" and then she would turn to her side and sleep again. "I will not repeat myself for the seventh time."

"I'm up, I'm up." Came a muffled voice from the other side of the room. "I'm putting my pants on, I swear! Be out in 5."

"I dearly hope so. You know what I think of tardiness."

"I do, indeed, Doctor Isles." Kate couldn't help but laugh. She could swear that her mother had a secret relationship with the clock. Maura couldn't stop looking at the clock sometimes, she could never go out without her wrist watch -even tough Kate had insisted that her cellphone would suffice- and she even slept with one right next to her.

Five minutes lates, Kate strolled down the stairs and sat at one of the barstools. Maura had her back to her as she prepared two big bowls of yogurt and fruits, one for the girl and one for herself. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and the doctor always made sure to never skip it. She grabbed both bowls once they were ready and placed them on the kitchen counter.

"Mom, is it alright if I go to Ruby's after school? She's failing Biology and asked me if I could help her." Kate said as she dug into her bowl of yogurt. This and pancake were her favourite kinds of breakfast.

"I can't see why not. Just be home before your curfew." Maura read the first two pages of her new Science Magazine before her phone started ringing. She did not recognised the number but decided to answer the phone call anyway. "Doctor Isles."

" _Hey, Maura. It's Jane. Good morning, by the way._ "

"Hello and good morning to you too. May I ask why you're calling?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm kinda running late. I didn't hear my alarm, as usual, so I just got up. That's so typical of me, right. I really do try to work on it, but I can't seem to succeed. Anyway, I'm rambling over here. I promise I'll be there in 10, well, maybe in 20. Just didn't want you to think that I stood you up.

"No problem, Jane. Kate and I are just finishing our breakfast and she'll go to school right after." She pointed to the white _Jansport_ by the front door and gestured for Kate to speed up. The girl got the hint and headed to the door, grabbing her leather coat and her backpack. "I'm not on call today, therefore there is no problem, even tough I do not like when you're late."

" _I know that. And I'm sorry, I'll be here as soon as possible._ "

"The longer you're on the phone, the later you will be." Kate laughed at the conversation, it was the same she had over and over with her mom. She approached Maura again and gave her a small kiss on the temple.

"Fine, fine. Goodbye, Maura."

"Goodbye, Jane." Maura disconnected the call and hugged Kate as tight as she could. Her girl was growing up so incredibly fast and soon enough she wouldn't be able to hug her anymore, since it would be considered an embarrassment. She could still picture Kate as the cute little baby she had been. She still remembered how small and fragile she felt in her arms. What wouldn't she give to experience that all over again. "Have a great day at school, sweetheart. And call me as soon as you arrive at Ruby's house."

"Okay, mom, don't worry. Have fun with Jane." She wiggled her eyebrows and laughed at her mother's expression of horror. "I'm just kidding. I love you, see you later."

"See if you can learn something useful!" Maura shook her head and took one last sip of her green tea as she saw her little girl leave to face the big and dangerous world out there once more.

* * *

Their so dreaded conversation is near, are you guys ready? What do you think happened between them? Let me know! ;)

So, one of the guest reviewers just said that he or she was done with this fic because Maura was not going to have a happy ending. For the rest of you, I ask to stay with me. I guarantee that this will have a happy ending and that Maura will NOT suffer, specially because she is my favorite character of all time. I want only the best for her!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hello, beautiful humans!

I don't know if all you read the little note I put here earlier today, but I was thinking about rewriting the whole story. That was until some of you gave me some amazing ideas and suggestions. But to take this story through its new path, I had to rewrite this chapter. It's pretty much the same, but I did alter Jane's and Maura's dialogues, so you might want to read it again.

I want to shoutout to **tkent** , **.90** , **DiciEtdAilleurs, Justagirlfangirling, firevolcano93** and to all of the other amazing readers. I love all you.

Happy reading.

* * *

Maura sat at her sofa, facing the window while nursing a cup of her favourite green tea. She longed for something a lot stronger, for some liquid courage to face the conversation that was bound to happen very, very soon. The doctor knew it was wrong. Keeping the truth from Jane, from Katherine, was wrong. But it was the way she found to feel safe, to keep her heart from breaking even more.

Jane hadn't arrived yet and for the very first time, the silence was killing her. It was giving room to nostalgic thoughts. Maura tried - she had been trying ever since Jane left - to understand what went wrong between them. They used to be so happy, and then all of the sudden they weren't anymore. Memories, both good and bad, danced around her mind. Every date, every kiss, hug and even the arguments came back to the surface and yet she couldn't find a single thing that would make Jane leave.

She was completely lost in her thoughts when she heard the bell ring. Her heartbeat accelerated and she had to remind herself to breathe. That was it, the moment she had been dreading for sixteen years. Maura could feel a lump forming in her throat. She knew that Jane would hate her after this. And Kate, she didn't even want to think of her little girl's reaction.

Slowly and reluctantly, the blonde doctor got up from the couch, smoothing invisible wrinkles on her pants. She could feel everything trembling under her feet and she knew that soon enough everything would fall. Maura sighed deeply and made her way to the front door. Taking a look into the peephole, she saw the raven mane she used to love, that she still loved. She wondered for a moment if the locks were still soft and she had a sudden urge to touch them. Maura shook her head and took one last breath before opening the door. The brunette turned when she heard the sound of the door. She felt all the air in her lungs escape as she took in the blonde in front of her. Maura was an incredibly beautiful woman and Jane felt her heart break a little. Thoughts of what they could have been invaded her mind and she sighed.

"Hey." Jane tried to smile, but failed miserably.

"Hello, Jane." Maura moved aside to let the tall detective in. The sweet and familiar smell of lavender filled her nostrils and Maura had to close her eyes for a moment. That smell had once been so addictive. For years she couldn't smell lavender without breaking down.

"Sorry I'm late. It's just that I, uh-"

"It's okay, Jane, really." Maura interrupted the brunette. She should've been mad, after all she hated tardiness. She should've been mad at Jane for coming back all of the sudden and demanding answers. She should've been mad at herself for lying and for being weak. But something inside her told her that everything was alright. The blonde closed the door behind her and walked toward the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink?"

Jane looked at the white and blue mug on the counter and turned to the doctor. "I'll have whatever you're having."

"Are you sure? I'm having green tea." Maura arched her perfect brow. Jane had never liked green tea, but then again she didn't know what Jane liked or didn't like anymore. A lot could have changed in sixteen years. "I think I have a couple of beers if you'd prefer. Or soda."

"Is it the panda poo tea?" The lanky detective couldn't help but smile. She remembered all of the times they had argued about that damn tea, specially after she found out that her mother was drinking it as well.

Maura laughed at the brunette's serious question. Maybe things hadn't changed after all. "Yes, Jane, it's the 'panda poo' tea. But I'll have you know that pandas' excrement is rich in fibres and nutrients and contains an element that can prevent cancer."

"Hard to believe that, Maur." Jane chuckled lightly. "A soda will do. And uh, you don't have to be nervous around me, ya know."

Maura froze for a moment when Jane's words sank in. Nervous was an understatement, there was not a word that could describe everything that she was feeling in that moment. "Nervous?" She couldn't say that she wasn't, she still had the whole 'breaking out in hives' problem. "Why do you say that?"

"You always splutter random facts when you're nervous. And I know that this, what we're about to do, isn't something you're actually looking forward to do. I mean, I don't even know how I would be feeling if I were you right now. But you don't have to be nervous around me. I know I made a huge mistake, but I'm still me."

"Are you really?" Maura scoffed. She was really trying to calm her nerves. "Because the Jane I knew would never leave me without giving me an explanation." Maura walked to the brunette and handed her the can of soda before making her way back to the sofa. Jane blinked aways the beginning of tears and followed her ex girlfriend. She had no right to be breaking down, not right now.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Maur, you have to believe me. It's just that everything happened so fast and I was so stupid and I couldn't handle. We were best friends and then we started dating and all of the sudden you were pregnant and to top that the whole Hoyt thing was going on."

"All of the sudden I was pregnant? It's not like the condom broke, Jane. We had plans, we discussed them thoroughly. You were completely fine, WE were fine. And then YOU all of the sudden were freaking out. I know that you have serious problems with commitment, but hell, I was your best friend, I was your girlfriend. I deserved more than the big fat nothing that you gave me in the end."

"You're right. We were young, and while you were mature and the adult in our relationship, I was stupid and childish. I thought that leaving you would be best for the both of us. So when NARCS requested me for an undercover job, I took it. I took it without thinking twice, because if something had happened to you, if Hoyt had gotten to you or our baby, I would never forgive myself."

"That's what you don't understand! I had you and Korsak, and Frost and Frankie. Damn it, Jane, I had that whole precinct by my side. Hoyt would never had gotten to me. Do you realize that in the end, he won? You stopped living the life you had because you were too scared of him and that's exactly what he wanted, remember? He said that he wanted you to have a mental and physical breakdown, for you to finally be scared of something in your life. He was a monster, but what happened between us was not his fault."

"I know that now, but back then I was terrified. I finally had everything I ever wanted, I had my best friends, I had my family, I had you and we were going to start our own family and I just couldn't lose that to him. So I walked away and God knows that I wanted to tell you. But Martinez said that the less people knew, the better. I just wanted you to be safe. And now I realize it was stupid, cause in the end I ended up losing you, hurting you."

Maura ran a hand through her blonde tresses and closed her eyes. She could feel the tears accumulating in her eyes and she was trying her best to keep them at bay. She was never the one to cry in front of other people. But Jane wasn't 'other people'. Jane knew her better than she knew herself. She knew all of her secrets, and dreams, and desires.

"I was just as scared, Jane. You were not the only one who had nightmares with Hoyt, who woke up in the middle of the night with the wind blowing in your window, wondering if he was there. You were worried about me, but I was also worried about you. Every time you touched me, I could feel your scars. I could feel and I could see what he did to you. What he was capable of and what he would do to me in the blink of an eye. And that terrified me, Jane. But then you would look at me and all of my fears would fade away because I thought you would be with me no matter what. And it still hurts to think that I was not worthy of your trust. I believe you when you say that you just wanted to protect me, but taking another job, a dangerous job, was not the solution. What if you had died, hm? I would have spent the rest of my life wondering what the hell I did wrong, wondering where the hell you were."

Jane looked down at her shoes with shame. _God, how could I be so selfish?_ She thought to herself as Maura got everything off her chest _._ At the time, she thought she was doing the right thing, that she was keeping Maura safe. But in reality, she was hurting the blonde like no one ever hurt her before.

"And you know what it's the worst part? When you left, you took everything I had with you. Frankie asked to be transferred to New York and Angela couldn't stay away from him since you WERE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND, so she went as well. They were my family, Jane, you said it yourself. Angela was the mother I always wanted when I was a child and I came to love Frankie like a brother and when they left, reality struck me. They weren't truly mine. Then all I had left was Korsak, Frost and Katherine. I think that if I didn't have them by my side, I wouldn't have made it."

Jane blinked a few times. 'And Katherine'. Yeah, she had her suspicions, but to actually hear it falling from Maura's lips were a whole different story. So everything they told her about the baby was a lie. She had made a mistake, but what they did was just as bad. "Maura."

"Yes?"

"Is Katherine mine? Is she our baby?" A single tear fell from Jane's eye and made its way down her bony cheek. Sad hazel orbs looked right into her brown ones and Jane could see every feeling they held. Maura didn't even have to answer, the brunette already knew. "But Martinez told me you lost it."

"Maybe he was just trying to keep you safe. It's horrible, isn't it?"

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So, what do you think? ;)

I'll post the next chapter tomorrow 3


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Guess who was finally capable of keeping a promise? That's right, ME!

Here's the new chapter.

Ps: I do not have a beta, so all mistakes are mine.

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Maura woke up later than usual on that Saturday morning. The sun was shining down on her face through the window and her eyes took a few minutes to adjust to the light. The medical examiner took a deep breath before pushing her sheets to the side and sitting on the edge of her King sized bed. Her arms stretched out above her head as far as they would go, as she rolled her shoulders and her neck. With her feet, she searched for her fluffy flip flop, which had been a Christmas gifts from Korsak the year before. She still remembered the face her best friend made when she confessed to never having owned a pair and she laughed lightly, feeling the weight of her conversation with Jane from the day before fade just a bit.

The two women hadn't been able to finish their talk. Korskak had called a few minutes after Maura's silent confession with a lead on their case and Jane left almost immediately. And to be honest, at the moment Maura was beyond relieved by the interruption. But now, after she had time to process the information, she wished they had finished what they started.

Maura made her way down the hall, stopping at her daughter's room. It was an action she had done many times before, specially after a tough case at work. Watching her daughter sleep was something that always soothed Maura, it brought her calmness and she loved it, though she was never able to explain why. But this time, that wonderful feeling was replaced by despair as soon as she realized that her child was not in her bed.

"Katie?" Maura's voice came out strained, as she was trying to remain calm. She had always feared losing sight of her daughter whenever they went to the mall or to an extremely crowed place. But she never thought of actually losing her daughter in her home. _Calm down, Maura, you haven't even searched the entire house_. She tried to convince herself as she breathed in and out slowly.

"Katherine?" She tried again, this time looking in her study. When no response came, she turned around, closing the door behind her, and made her way down the stairs. And that's when she heard it, the melodiously sound of her daughter's laugh. Her face instantly relaxed as relief ran through her veins. _She'll be the death of my one day_.

Katherine was in the kitchen, her back to the door, eating yogurt and fruits out of a bowl as she spoke to someone on the phone. Maura smiled at her daughter's choice of pajamas. The top was all black, simple and comfortable, while the bottom was grey with black little hearts all over. An image of Kate in the exact pants the day she bought them came to her mind. It was huge on her, but the girl insisted on wearing them anyways, so Maura let her. She had looked absolutely adorable and Maura was pretty sure she had taken a photo of that. But now, it fit perfectly, another reminder that her little girl was growing up way too fast. The blonde doctor sighed and shook her head and thoughts away, it was too early to get emotional. At the sound, Katherine turned around, a huge smile adorning her I-just-got-out-of-bed face.

"There you are! I was wondering when you were going to wake up." Kate said sweetly, kissing her mom gently on the cheek. "Yeah, yeah, I'll tell her. Okay, see you later, alligator." The girl shook her head, laughing lightly again. "I was talking to uncle Frost. Apparently he is more excited about us going to the shooting range than I am."

"I honestly didn't think it was possible." Maura smiled, pouring hot water in her kettle to make herself some tea. She reached for the box of strawberries on the kitchen counter and brought a small on to her mouth, savoring the sweet taste. Kate just shook her head at her mother's light teasing, poking her gently on the side. She knew her mother was right, she had been talking about how exciting this day would be non-stop since Frost and Korsak came up with the idea. Maura on the other hand, had hated the idea almost instantly. She thought Kate was still too young to go to a shooting range, but being the only one who thought that way, she knew she wouldn't win the discussion. So she agreed as long as she could accompany them to keep an eye on her daughter.

"I'm going to take a shower while you finish your breakfast. Promise me you won't take too long to get ready, mom?"

"I promise." Maura smiled, popping another strawberry in her mouth.

…

Thirty minutes and 3 changes of clothes later,the Isles ladies arrived at the shooting range. The young girl had complained the whole ride about her mother's incapability of choosing a simple pair of jeans and a shirt. She knew that her mother was absolutely in love with fashion and all its perks, but this was getting way too far.

The range was practically empty. It was a Saturday after all, all the other detectives and officers were either on a case or enjoying their well-deserved breaks at their homes. Maura and Kate passed by the training booths with 15 targets each and different choices of guns. And while Maura was absolutely uncomfortable and out of her zone, Kate was getting more excited by the minute.

Frost was the first one to see the 'ladies of his life' and his smile instantly grew wider at the sight of Kate. That girl was like the daughter her never had, and probably never would. He had helped Maura change her diapers, he had babysat whenever Maura had needed him, he had given Kate an extra piece of cake without Maura's knowledge and he had read to her at bedtime countless times. His love for her was something that he couldn't quite understand, let alone explain.

All of those emotional thoughts faded away when he saw Maura's choice of 'casual attire". The blonde doctor was wearing a pair of jeans that were practically painted on her body, a white silk blouse that hugged her in all the right places and accentuated all of her curves and black high heels, which Frost assumed were from some designer and cost more than his apartment.

Katherine ran towards her favorite uncle and he opened his arms, preparing himself for the impact he knew was coming. This happened pretty much every time the two of them met. When it started, Frost was able to lift Kate in his arms, towards the ceiling –to Maura's horror-, but now, he knew that if he wasn't steady enough, Kate would be able to tackle him to the floor. This time, though, she just hugged him as hard as she could, taking the air off his lungs. "I've missed you, uncle Frost."

"I've missed you too, little one." They had never been away for each other for too long. But the past couple of weeks had been extremely overwhelming for Frost. He had gotten one case after the other, his pile of paperwork getting bigger and bigger by the second. He hadn't had time to even breathe. But now Cavennaugh Jr. had given him the weekend off and he planned to stay with his girl the entire time.

'"Hey, hey, don't I get a hug?" Korsak's deep voice came from behind the two of them and they started laughing immediately. He knew that Frost was more the fun kind of uncle and he was more like the overprotective, super responsible kind. It was good for Kate to have both of them in her life, and for Maura as well.

Maura watched the interaction between her two best friends and her daughter with a huge smile on her face. Both of them had helped her countless times and for that she would be forever thankful. They were her daughter's father figures and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Of course you do, Uncle Korsak!" Kate laughed lightly and hugged her other uncle briefly.

"And what about me? Do I get a hug?" Came the husky voice that was becoming more and more familiar to Kate. The girl smiled instantly, but her mother on the other hand, shivered. She was still not used to having Jane around again and she wasn't sure if she would ever be.

"Jane! I didn't know you were coming!" Kate said as she hugged the lean detective.

"I hope you don't mind." Jane gave a shy smile, speaking more to Maura than to the girl attached to her side. At first, when Korsak invited her for the day, the first thought that came to her mind was to deny it. But she wanted to spend some time with her…daughter – that word still felt strange on her tongue. So she said yes, even though she was almost certain that Maura wouldn't like it.

"Of course not, don't be silly! We're going to have so much fun, right, mom?" At that, the girl let go of Jane and turned around to look at her mother, who was involved in Frost's arms, with an excited smile.

"Y-yes. I suppose we will." She gave a strained smile in return, avoiding eye contact with both Kate and Jane. The look on Maura's face didn't go unnoticed by Frost, he knew her just too well. Besides, Maura didn't even try to hide the unpleasantness that she was feeling at the moment.

"Okay, so let's start shooting!" Korsak said a little louder than he intended, but the squeals from Jane, Kate and even Frost were even louder. They all laughed as Korsak led the way to one of the booths, Jane and Kate following suit.

Maura started to walk, but before she could take a second step, Frost held her back by her arm. She turned to him, a bit confused, with a perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. "What's wrong, Frost?"

He scratched the back of his neck; going over the words he would say next. It was a delicate matter, and he knew that. He knew what Maura had been through a lot and that talking about it, talking about Jane wasn't something easy for his friend. "Uhm, I'm sorry for that, uhm, for Jane tagging along, I mean." He scratched his neck again, and Maura could tell he was nervous. "I know that it was supposed to be a family day and I should've said no when Korsak asked me if he could bring her, but I didn't and I can see now how uncomfortable you are. Hell, he shouldn't have invited her in the first place. Anyways, I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry and that you can always talk to me, about anything, really. If you want to talk about you conversation with Jane yesterday, I'm here. If you just want to stay with me and don't talk about anything, then I'm here too."

Maura had tears in her eyes by the time he was finished talking and she was fighting as hard as she could to keep them at bay. When she was younger, she didn't have people around her who were willing to protect her, who loved and cared about her. She knew that her parents did, of course, but they had a different way of showing it. They were distant and they didn't believe in the demonstration of affection, but they did love her nonetheless. But now she had two incredible men who always had her back, who loved her and considered her family. And that was one of the most important things in the world to her.

"It's okay, Frost, really." She smiled genuinely for the very first time after hearing Jane's voice again. "And I suppose I would like to talk to you about that eventually, but not today. Kate is here and she doesn't know."

"Okay, whenever you want then." He squeezed her arm gently and gave her a little kiss on her temple. The cute moment was interrupted my Kate's excited squeal and something in the lines of 'oh my god' could be heard. "I think we better go check on them."

Jane could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. It had been a while since she last held a gun to her hands, let alone shoot one. With the undercover job, she had to kiss her gun and badge goodbye. She shot 6 targets on a row and the delighted squeals from Kate were pushing her forward. Jane realized in that moment that the girl had inherited that animation from Maura. Those incredibly beautiful hazel eyes would always lighten up whenever she was learning something new and exciting and so did Kate's. She shot the other 9 targets, only missing one by an inch and gave herself a pat on her back.

"Jane, Jane, Jane, that was AWESOME!" Kate stretched her hand out, inviting Jane to a high five to which Jane happily accepted. Korsak chuckled beside them and shook his head. _That girl really is something_ , he thought to himself. "Do you think you can teach me to shoot like that?"

"Katherine Amélie Isles, don't even think about it!" Maura crossed her arms in front of her chest and arched a brow at her daughter. She had to hold in a giggle when her daughter's magical smile turned into an adorable pout. "Don't pout at me, young lady, you know it doesn't work."

"Pretty please, Mom!"

"Come on, M, she has three kickass detectives with her and one badass medical examiner. Nothin's gonna happen." Frost bumped his shoulder on hers and gave her a dashing smile. "Let her shoot one target, and then we can all get some pizza." Maura twisted her nose at that, but a small smile was already finding its way to the surface of her lips. "Or salads. Wherever you want, Doc."

"Fine! One target…" She winced at the sound of screams from both Kate and Jane. "…And then I suppose we can stop for pizza."

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I love reviews (:

Ps: A guest reviewer said that there was no way Cavennaugh would still be working, so I fixed it! (Thank you for that). And Korskak wouldn't as well, but in my head he chose to keep working instead of retiring and doing absolutely nothing (I will talk about this later on). And about Jane, I will talk about her undercover job again soon (and btw, I'm not being easy on her, just wait for it).

And I would like to remember that this is a RIZZLES fan fiction, so there will be RIZZLES at some point, just be patient s2


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** It's smaller than what I wanted, but I'm going to try to compensate on the next chapter.

Hope you enjoy!

Ps: I do not have a beta reader, so all mistakes are mine!

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"No Way! Pepperoni is the best pizza EVER. It's a classic and nothing beats a classic." Katherine and Frost had been arguing about which pizza flavor was the best one in history ever since they left the shooting range – after Jane and Kate convinced Maura to let them shoot 15 more targets. It was a heated discussion and they couldn't quite figure out the winner.

The group found themselves now in a small pizzeria located in the basement of the owner's building. It wasn't a very popular place, in fact only the people that lived in that particular neighborhood knew about the existence of that place. Except for Korsak. You see, Korsak and Mario Abbadeli had been best friends since kindergarten. The detective was the one who encouraged and helped Mario follow his dreams of opening a restaurant. And Mario was the one who had been by Korsak's side through the good and the bad and always knew how to comfort him – with pizza, of course. They were pretty much inseparable, until 18 years ago, when Mario died suddenly. The little pizzeria, Abbadeli's Pizza, was then passed on to Mario's daughter, Francesca who runned that place as passionately as her father did.

"Hey, Korsak! Long time no see. How have you been?" Francesca gave the detective her most dashing smile. He had always been like a second father to her and she was forever grateful for everything he had done for her family.

"Too long if you ask me. Work keeps me way too busy, you know. The only good thing about that is that it helps me stay in shape." Korsak rested his hand on his protuberant stomach to prove his point.

"Yeah, in round shape." Said Frost with a loving smile on his face. The two men always made fun of each others shapes – all in good fun, of course. Korsak would pick on Frost's excess of muscles and Frost would pick on the older detective's excess of 'deliciousness'.

Everyone laughed. And for a few moments the heavy air that surrounded them felt lighter, almost as if everything was just fine.

"What can I get you folks tonight?" Francesca got a note pad out of her apron and a pen from behind her ear, ready to get the orders.

"I'll have the Abbadeli's Salad" Maura closed her menu and gave it back to Francesca.

"Nah, no way you're having a salad!" Frost shook his head.

"Yeah, Mom! Look at this place, everything smells so amazing." Katie was a pretty healthy person. Being Maura's daughter, she didn't have much of a choice, to be honest. If she didn't eat greens, she wouldn't eat at all. But from time to time, she was a big fan of fast food.

"If you two think that I'm going to ingest the amount of grease and calories contained in a slice of pizza, you are out of your minds." Maura crossed her arms in front of her, emphasizing her point.

"Come one, Maura. Be unhealthy for once in your life." Jane grinned as soon as Maura turned to look at her and for some reason, it broke one of the blonde's walls down.

"Fine, fine." Maura threw her arms up in defeat. "I'll have one slice of whatever pizza you order."

A few slices later, the group was beyond satisfied as they began to say their goodbyes. It had been a long day to all of them and all they wanted at that moment was to lie down on their respective beds and drift off to sleep.

"So, do you need anything for tomorrow? I can stop at the grocery store on my way." Frost asked as he open the door to his car.

"I don't believe that'll be necessary, but I'll let you know." Maura smiled in appreciation. Turning to Korsak, she raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "But I am counting on you for dessert."

"Why are you looking at me that way?

"Last time you said you'd bring dessert, you gave up in the middle of the recipe cause you couldn't figure out one of the steps." Frost laughed.

"It was a hard recipe, okay? And I did bring ice cream!" Korsak shot Frost 'the look'. It was something he always did when someone brought up a comment that made him uncomfortable. "Besides, I chose something simpler this time. I'm baking chocolate fudge brownies. Got the recipe from 'Mama's bakery' website."

Jane laughed wholeheartedly when the name of the website sank in and soon everyone followed. "Mama's Bakery? Seriously, Korsak?" Her stomach was now hurting from the laughter.

"What? It was the easier one I could find." He shrugged.

"Okay, okay." Jane chuckled. "What's happening tomorrow, anyway? Is it a bake sale? If it is, I don't think those brownies are going to raise that much money."

That last part made Maura laugh. She suddenly tried to remember when was the last time that someone – other than her daughter- made her laugh that hard. And she realized that that someone had probably been Jane.

"It's our family lunch." Katherine answered after taking a minute to catch her breath. "We do it every Sunday and we take turns cooking."

"Oh, WE do?" Maura looked at her daughter with an amused look.

"Um, they do. I just 'overlook' everything." Kate chuckled. "You should come, you know. If you don't have any plans."

Maura shifted, uncomfortably – and it didn't go unnoticed by Jane. The blond doctor was far from being used to being around her ex girlfriend. Specially after the talk they had.

"Thanks, Kat. But I don't want to impose." Jane shifted from one foot to the other as she scratched the back of her neck. Of course she wanted to be around Katherine –and Maura – as much as she could. But she knew that Maura still had a lot to digest.

"You wouldn't be, I'm inviting you! Besides, you could bring wine." Katie begged with her eyes. "Tell her, Mom!"

Maura didn't know how she was going to get out of it without being too rude. She wanted to say no, seeing Jane three days in a row was a bit much. Besides, it was something personal and cozy, just for the four of them. So when she said that of course that Jane could go, it took her by surprise. She had seen how excited Katherine was and she didn't want to disappoint her daughter, but she knew that deep inside, she said yes to please herself.

"Well, then I guess I see you guys tomorrow." Jane grinned. "And I promise I won't forget to bring the wine."

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Don't forget to review (;


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** _I'm getting faster, huh? Haha._

 _Hope you enjoy this chapter._

 _PS: I'm trying to write a bit more, but I don't really like super long chapters. What do you think? If you want super long chapters, let me know (I'd do anything for you guys)._

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The kitchen in Maura's house had been planned out and decorated by the best team in the entire city of Boston. It took about three months to get it ready and it was Maura's – and Katie's- favorite room in the entire house. The black marble counter matched the island in the middle of the room just perfectly and it was the staple piece the doctor had always dreamed of. It blended amazingly with the colorful utensils she had gotten at William's Sonoma and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Even though she would never admit to it out loud, Maura was obsessed with cleanness, ever since she was just a child. The blonde couldn't stand the sight of dirt, stains or any other sign of a mess. A fact that, for her career as the Chief Medical Examiner of the state of Massachusetts, was a good thing. There was never anything out of place in her house, nor in her office.

Except for today. Today, the usual brightness of the counter was obfuscated by everything Maura despised.

The blonde doctor sighed as she looked around, wiping a drop of sweat that was on brink of falling down from her forehead. She was extremely tired after spending the entire morning rearranging the furniture and cleaning the entire living room –which she decided to do in the heat of the moment – and all she wanted to do was go upstairs, get in the shower and relax before her guests arrived. But she couldn't. She sighed again, now looking at the opened recipe book in front of her with one particular recipe waiting to be cooked.

Sunday lunch had been Korsak's idea, something to get all of them somehow closer than they already were and they all loved it instantly. They then decided to take turns cooking – since the three of them shared that passion – so they wouldn't get too tired. Both Korsak and Frost were good cooks, but not as good as Maura. On her turns, she would always strive for greatness. But today, greatness wouldn't be good enough.

Maura moved from side to side in the kitchen as quickly as she possibly could, grabbing ingredients as she read the directions printed on the page. She couldn't remember the last time she had cooked that meal, since it contained more calories that she could count, and she prayed for every God that it would turn out as wonderful as the original.

An hour or so later, the blonde was in the middle of the recipe when Katie walked in. The girl - who was not at all used to seeing her kitchen so chaotic, let alone her own mother – couldn't believe her eyes. It took her a few minutes to understand what was going on and when she finally realized the reason behind her mother's frenetic attitude a small grin appeared on her delicate lips.

Maura turned around as soon as she felt her daughter's presence behind her, with a wooden spoon containing sauce in her hand. She reached out to Katie, suggesting she should taste its contents -the girl obeyed immediately. Katherine didn't answer for a few seconds, letting her tasting buds do their work. But Maura wasn't willing to wait. "So, is it good?"

"I think you could add a little bit more salt. But not too much." Katie gave her mother a reassuring smile. "Mom, everything is going to be fine. It's not like we're serving the Queen of England." The girl moved to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. "Unless you think Jane's presence is as highly as Elizabeth's." She knew teasing her mother was wrong, but she couldn't help it.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." Maura tried to pretend she was completely okay and that the entire situation wasn't a big deal, unaware of the redness taking over her cheeks. "I simply want to serve good food, isn't that understandable?"

"Yeah…of course." Katie held in a giggle, taking a sip of water to prevent it from actually escaping her lips. "Well, if you need me for anything, I'll be in the living room." She kissed Maura's lightly on the cheek and moved straight to the sofa.

Downstairs everything was finally back in place. Cushions and blankets were neatly placed on the sofa and on the armchairs, candles were lit on the coffee table and the soft smell of sandalwood filled the air. In the kitchen, all the utensils were back in the drawers, the marble was in its pristine condition and the big lasagna dish sat warmly in the oven.

Upstairs, in the other hand –more specifically in Maura's bedroom- everything was extremely chaotic. The bed was so covered in clothes that the duvet cover couldn't be seen, there were different pairs of heels under each outfit on the floor and the air was so heavy that Maura couldn't breath properly.

Maura always had difficulty in choosing the perfect outfit. She would try a hundred of dresses, skirts, blouses and even pants – though the ladder was a bit rarer- until she was completely satisfied with how she looked. But today, just like everything she had done throughout the day, her indecisiveness had gone a little further that she would have expected. She sat in the armchair on the corner of her room, looking directly at the various options on her bed as she massaged her temples trying to come to a decision.

After a few minutes that more felt like hours, the doorbell rang. Maura, who was still wrapped in her towel, jumped from the chair already freaking out. "Kate! They're early and I'm not ready yet, can you please get the door?"

Katherine was in the process of applying her nude lipstick when she heard her mother and she instantly detected the despair in her voice. She shook her head, put the lipstick away and walked down the hall, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her dress. "Mom, it's just like any other Sunday, okay? You'll look beautiful, no matter what you wear." She winked before turning around and making a bee line to the front door downstairs.

"I come bearing brownies." Korsak smiled at the sight of his niece and wiggled his eyebrows as he looked from her to the plate of beautiful brownies on his hand. "And let me tell ya, they're good." He gave the girl a kiss on the cheek as he walked into the foyer and straight to the kitchen to rest the plate on the center island.

"Where's Jane, uncle K? I thought she was coming with you?" Katie inquired as she closed the door after seeing that Jane wasn't there yet.

"Way to make your favorite uncle feel welcome, kid." The older man smirked as he looked at his niece. He could see the hint of disappointment behind those big chocolate eyes and he immediately felt terrible for teasing her. "Yeah, she was comin' with me, but when I called she said she wasn't ready yet." He bumped his shoulder lightly on hers. "Don't worry, kiddo. She'll be here."

Katie nodded and a sudden relief took over her. From the day she met Jane, she felt something she couldn't quite place, a feeling so strong that made her heart tingle. She knew exactly who the detective was, even though her mother hadn't told her yet. And as much as she wanted to confront both women with the subject, part of her still wanted to get to know Jane a little better. Most importantly, she wanted to understand everything that had happened between them and why Jane had decided to stay away for so long.

The phone vibrating in her pocket brought Kate back to reality. She shook her head and with it all of her thoughts – she would have time for them later. She arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow as she read the caller id on the screen. It was her mom. Without thinking twice, she answered.

"Who's there?" Maura's voice was a pitch higher than usual.

"Umm…mom, it's me."

"No, Katherine. I know it is you since I was the one who decided to call you…I'm asking who has just arrived." Maura rolled her eyes. She was used to being misunderstood, but today she wasn't very patient.

"Uncle Korsak, why?" The girl knew exactly why her mother was asking that question and she smirked.

"Oh, okay. I'll be down in a minute then."

The doorbell rang as soon as Maura's heels touched the last step of the stairs and even though her heart skipped a beat with the anticipation, she made a beeline towards the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'm sorry for the time it took me to write this chapter, I have no excuses. It's still not as long as I want to get, but it's definitely longer than the other ones. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review!**

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"She refused to wear the yellow rain boots I had brought her because they didn't match her outfit! Can you believe that?" Jane shook her head, laughing at the memory. She and Maura had spent years, side by side, fighting crime in Boston. Both of them had some really great memories from their time together. There wasn't one without the other and even though they were completely different, like water and wine, they completed each other. "And then, BAM! She stepped right on a pool of blood with her precious Gepetto Za whatever." The lanky detective felt an unexpected emptiness and she frowned –luckily for her, no one seemed to notice–, remembering how long ago that was; how they were young and had their whole lives ahead of them to be together. She then thought of Hoyt and how different her life would be now if they had never encountered each other. The brunette took a long sip of her Blue Moon, the amber liquid soothing her sudden dry throat and found herself laughing a moment later as both Maura and Katherine calmly said "Giuseppe Zanotti" at the same time, correcting her.

"Are you done embarrassing me in front of my child?" Maura's tone was serious but a gleam in her eyes told Jane she was only messing around. The doctor thought that this day would be a grand disaster, that either she or Jane would end up saying something they would later regret. She thought that everything would be awkward and they wouldn't have anything to talk about. But now here they were, hours after lunch, reminiscing. Admittedly, the few glasses of wine she drank helped her take the edge off and just relax into the conversations.

The honey blonde wanted desperately to hate her ex best friend and girlfriend. She wanted to tell her she didn't want to see her ever again and that she wanted to be left alone. But listening to Jane talk about them and about the numerous moments they had together – moments she wouldn't allow herself to think about– with such a nostalgic tone, full of care and love did throw her off a little bit.

When Jane left without saying anything, consequently breaking her heart, Maura never took the chance to really process everything. Of course she had been angry, she had cried and had wondered what the hell had happened but then she locked all of her feelings in a box, buried it deep down in her heart and threw away the key. And now, all of these feelings, both good and bad – mainly good– were coming back like Jane was the key to them herself.

"Oh, I bet Maura have some juicy stories about you, Janie." Korsak had been there since the beginning. He was there when Jane made detective. He became a stable father figure to her, pushing her to be the great detective she was today. He taught her everything he knew, and he was always there when she needed. He was there on Maura's first day at BPD. He saw how nervous she was and made everything in his power to make her feel at home. He was her shoulder to cry on, her rock. He was there when they fell in love, in fact he found out before they even did. The older detective had been there through their ups and downs, but he never doubted that they would eventually find their way back to each other.

"Uhm, Korsak, you might wanna repeat that sentence in your head again." Frost cleared his throat, looking anywhere but at Maura and Jane. Like Maura, Frost was having a hard time letting Jane back into his life. Don't get him wrong; he loved her like a sister. But when she left, not only was he hurt but also witnessed the mess Maura became. The doctor had always been an extremely strong person, at least on the outside, and to see her fragile and not even wanting to leave her house hurt him even more. "We have a child present."

Katherine scrunched her face at that comment. She was 16 years old, she was capable of talking to anyone about literally anything and soon she would be going to college and she was still seen as a child, especially by Korsak and Frost who always had the need to protect her. "I'm not a child. But I am deeply disturbed by that thought."

Yes, they did have a few juicy stories: of them in the shower, in the car, in an elevator and even in Maura's office. Stories they would never share with anyone but each other. Maura looked at Jane who was hiding a smile behind her beer bottle and chuckled lightly. When chocolate eyes met hazel green ones, both women laughed like they haven't done in a long time. They felt light and for the first time in years, they felt truly happy.

"Well, I do have a somewhat "juicy" story about Jane." Maura laughed again at her daughter's groans and rolled her eyes. "Not the kind of "juicy" you're thinking, darling."

"Why do I feel like you're about to embarrass the shit out of me?" Jane said as she peeled off the wet label from her beer bottle.

"Watch your language." Maura smirked. She couldn't remember how many times she had repeated that one word to Jane over the years she had known her. " As I recall, we were at Adam Fairfield's memorial in the middle of the investigation of his murder. It was a fancy dinner and-" Maura was interrupted by Jane's exaggerated groan. "From all of the stories, you had to go there?"

The next few hours were spent just like the ones before, with a lot of stories –both new and old-, a lot of laughter and a lot of stolen looks.

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Maura looked at her own reflection in the window above the kitchen sink and noticed a small smile playing around her lips. She knew that she and Jane still had a lot to talk about and a lot to figure out. But there was a glimmer of hope blossoming in her heart. Maybe, just maybe they could still be together after all.

"Do you need help with those?" Jane was leaning against the kitchen isle, a beer in one hand and a strand of raven hair in the other. Korsak and Frost had left a few minutes before and even though they offered Jane a ride, she didn't accept it. She wanted to spend just a little more time with Maura, especially now that they would finally be alone since Katherine had gone to sleep over an hour ago. "Maura?"

"Hm?" Maura felt Jane's presence as soon as she entered the kitchen; she always knew when the brunette was around, even when she didn't even make a sound. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" The doctor turned to face Jane, the small smile still visible on her lips. "I got lost inside my thoughts."

"I asked if you needed some help with the dishes." Jane chuckled as she took a sip of her beer, her eyes never leaving Maura's. "You can wash and I can dry." She rested the Blue Moon bottle on the isle when Maura gave her a simple nod before turning back to the sink.

Maura finished washing one of the glasses and when she handed it to Jane, their fingers brushed, their breath hitched and both smiled. They were quiet, simply enjoying each other's company in that moment.

When everything was washed and dried, both women moved around the kitchen to put everything in place. The only things left were the glasses, but Maura couldn't quite reach the shelf since she had taken off her heels. "Here, let me." Jane saw the blonde's struggle and laughed lowly. She didn't know why exactly, but she had always found the difference in their heights quite lovely.

Jane felt Maura gasp as soon as her front touched her back. She took a moment to appreciate the soft strawberry scent from the blonde's shampoo and in that moment she realized just how much she missed Maura. "There you go." The brunette's voice was throatier than usual and Maura shivered beneath her.

Maura turned around, well aware of the lack of space between her and Jane. She saw the way the brunette looked at her, nothing but love, respect and something else Maura couldn't quite place filled those beautiful chocolate eyes. "Thank you." Jane nodded as she put a strand of blonde hair behind Maura's ear. Neither felt the need to move.

"I should have never left you, Maur." Jane looked away. She could feel the tears coming and she tried hard to keep them at bay. Losing Maura was the worst thing that ever happened in her life and there was no one to blame except herself. "I'm so sorry." Her voice was practically a whisper and Maura almost missed the last part.

"Hey." Maura said softly, reaching out to stroke Jane's cheek. The brunette looked everywhere but at those hazel eyes that were desperately looking for contact. "Jane, please look at me." Maura wiped a single tear that managed to scape and smiled when Jane finally looked at her. "I know we still have a lot to talk about. We just need time to figure everything out and I do believe that in the end it'll be okay. We'll be okay."

"You don't hate me?" Jane hated feeling this vulnerable; she always had even around Maura. She felt small and weak, and she could only imagine how the blonde felt when she left.

"Oh, Jane." Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, bringing her even closer to her body. "I could never hate you. Never." She put everything she felt in those words to make sure Jane knew she meant them.

Jane let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding and nodding, still not trusting her voice. She cupped Maura's cheek and rested her forehead against hers. "You really are something, Maura Isles." Jane finally smiled; a smile that could light up the entire city o Boston.

Maura stood on her toes, her lips inches away from Jane's, she never in a million years thought that she would be this close to her again. "We both are, my dear." She smiled, almost closing the distance between them.

"MOM!?"


End file.
